LAN2k

I agree with Tiffy, my surgeon originally told me 2 to 3 days but kept me in the hospital for 5. I had round the clock attention and a visiting nurse came to my home for the first couple of days to change my dressing. I had excessive bleeding from the largest incision I think it was where the drain was. I went back 1 week later to have my surgeon check me out and remove the drain. I had a catheter for 2 days and the day it was removed I was having a difficult time urinating on my own so two nurses came in and went in there (while I was lying in bed) and forced the urine out! After that I was able to go on my own. Based on my experience which was not bad from a surgical standpoint, I can't imagine this being an outpatient procedure.

Congratulations on your surgery date and with Spring approaching it will be so great a time to recover and lose weight as you go into summer. Best wishes for an uneventful surgery and recovery...

God bless you Lee 5 days out and already feeling great! I'm truly happy for you.

I see how important attitude is. My first time out I was so uncomfortable and I was with my mother who was privy to my surgery. The discomfort was my own inability to accept that I could not eat as I pleased. It's easier for me now to eat out as I have a little more capacity for food. You did great.

It appears you are well prepared and having a supportive husband is a blessing. Prayer your way for an uneventful surgery and recovery...God speed.

I missed your pre surgery post but my prayers go out now for a smooth and uneventful recovery. Hope to hear back from you soon. God speed.

Thanks for the update Marie. Just do the best you can each day. It will be easier with time.

Ouch is right! Sorry I'm no help. What about taking B12 sublingual (melts under the tongue! I take 2500mcg (1 tab) a day. I'm curious to know what the dosage is that you will be injecting daily?

You will lose weight, your capacity for food is drastically reduced. It was a monumental adjustment for me. I am 5'8" highest weight 232, last time I weighed myself (about 8 days ago), I weighed 162. If I've learned anything from this it's that you must be prepared for the changes. I had too many other major changes that happened which clouds my judgment. My verdict is not in yet as to whether I am happy I had this surgery...but I'm getting there. Best wishes to you.

Congratulations to Shauna, (hard to believe you were only in the hospital one day!), and Coco and all recent sleevees! You all seem to be doing excellent so early out. I wish you all smooth sailing as you go...Pumpkin thanks for sharing a bit about your surgeon. At 5 months out I'm still learning from those of you who are just starting your journey.

I'm looking forward to your update...in any event I hope your feeling better.

Your surgeon is not ethical and the staff he hires are a reflection of who he is. It's disturbing to know that there are people like that in such positions. I think that he should be held accountable and I hope you can document all that has happened. You may have a lawsuit against him and with good reason. If you do see him again I would be sure to document everything and if possible take another adult with you to be present with you at all times. I did that nearly every visit to my surgeon. It's like having a witness. When I complained to my surgeon early out about how little soft food I was able to eat without feeling pain, over the phone he said he'd have his secretary set up an endoscopy. I received a call that day with an appointment for the following Tuesday. Your on track though by consulting outside of this guy since you need to get the right help. I hope you get a good bariatric weight loss surgeon to take over for your after care, if not perhaps you can get a good GI specialist to take you on. I wish you all the best and will be praying for you too.

You shine Tiff not only do you look lean as a model but there's a glow in your eyes which reflects your gratitude and I am so happy for you. Thanks for sharing...your beautiful inside and out.

Hi Aura, I wish I was in a healthier emotional state. The status and arrangements of my life changed dramatically right (2 wks.) before my surgery. I came out of it with extreme anxiety and morbid depression. I am in therapy with a psychologist who specializes in treating WLS patients, and a psychiatrist that has prescribed an antidepressant that is helping me, and I take anti anxiety medication as needed, pretty much every day. This is a life altering surgery. Your relationship with food does change like it or not and there is no turning back. I am concerned more about my capacity to psychologically handle my life without my best/worst friend and comforter, food (as I knew it). I have an awful sinus condition as well and I'm not sure if it is surgery related but has been with me since. It's mucus that accumulates in my throat maybe from a drip maybe from my stomach, I don't know. That is most immediate on my agenda to have diagnosed and resolved. I worry that my immune system may be compromised since the surgery and possibly now I've an allergy to my cats. I don't know. What I do know is that the majority of people here have made the choice to have the sleeve after much research and contemplation. Most are elated as they see their weight drop and have embraced the changes they've had to make where eating habits are concerned. I hope you will rely more on folks like that rather than I as you venture into the possibility of doing this for yourself. I'm not fully back yet, to myself that is. My opinion is tainted by my emotions which are going through a period of greif and loss. My psychiatrist looked me in the eyes and asked, "Why do you persist to fear your surgery? Did you research? Was your surgeon and the facility reputable? Did you feel you put yourself in capable hands?" I said "yes, at the time I did..." She then told me it s time to stop then and move forward with my life...When she said that I felt strength for a moment I believed she was right.

Hi all, I just want to let EVERYONE here know that during the snow storm here in the North East, the power went off and on a few times in a row and my desk top computer crashed! I'm at my mother's house now using her PC to write this. Anyway I had to get on the phone with HP and troubleshoot and my files were wiped out so I'm waiting on the mail to deliver recover CD's and then I'll get back on the phone with HP and have them walk me through the steps to "restore" the computer to its original factory settings. I'm so pissed because I want to keep up with you all. To those of you who have recently had your surger God bless and keep you. To those of you about to I wish you all the best. Your all in my thoughts and prayers. I can still access this website from my cell phone but it's slow and a pain in the butt!

I'm only 5 mo. out and ALL of your concerns are valid and worthy of valid answers. I am no expert and this surgery is about 5 years out as I understand. However some on this board have done extensive research on gastrectomy surgery which has been performed for decades. I am confident that you will receive responses that will address your concerns. I would also suggest you continue to visit and post any findings you come upon in your investigation of this surgery. Initially I looked into the Lap Band and within a month of research had no doubt that was not for me. I found the sleeve to be the most sensible of all WLSurgical procedures out there and based upon what I found here and upon what WLSurgeons who perform the VSG I went forward with the surgery. I'm down 70lbs but admittedly I now, after the fact, have concerns both immediate and long term. I'm glad you have put your concerns here and look forward to following this thread. In any event thanks and best wishes.

I'm so sorry not to have come here straight away after getting myself this little netbook while I'm waiting for my computer to be delivered. The power outage killed the hard drive apparently my surge protector doesn't have more than a years worth of power! So since I haven't had a working lap-top since 2001 I purched this little netbook. Alas I'm able to communicate with this message board, apart from few friends and my family this has been a source of support...thank God and thank you all for your encouragement and kind words of support. xxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooooo I really do hope we all will thrive in good health, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. God bless.

At 5 months out I'm still learning! I ate a few bites of a pork chop some of the meat was dry and so I thought I chewed it well enough. It got stuck and I was at my mother's house and just stood up and started to raise my arms up and down and walk..then I asked my mom to tap on my back (like a baby being burped)...after around 15 maybe 20 minutes I felt better and it went down. One thing I can tell you so early out is to really take it slow. I don't think anyone was as anxious as I was and I am learning as I go what my limitations are. I wish you peace of mind hereafter as you progress in your weight loss journey with the sleeve. Best-Lis

Wow I just checked out the protein bar and it looks perfect in everyway until I saw "sucralose" I just can't handle the artificial sweeteners. Too bad I wish they'd use stevia or some other nutritive type sugar.

Hi Mary, I bought a netbook and this is about the 5th time I've composed a reply to your post here! For some reason a finger hits something on he scratch pad or keyboard and it changes the page just as I'm about to post my reply! Here I go again...maybe I just need to keep this short and sweet. Anyway I wanted to thank you so much for your thoughtful response to my thread here. I recently read a blurb in the readers digest about differences between generic and brand name drug/medications. I was not at all surprised since I have bit of suspicion. What it said was that there have been documented differences in the effects of some generic drugs and what makes them differ is the filler content used plus some other stuff. It seems that if it comes in a generic than the doctor prescribing it will not write DAW (dispense as written). Is it because insurance companies won't pay for the brand name if it can be obtained generically? I will ask my pcp next visit. My PPI is Aciphex and I get the brand name because there's no generic for it yet. It was filled and covered by my insurance so maybe the cost isn't too high...I'm going to the pharmacy today and will ask. This board has and continues to help me because of people like you, Tiff, Daisy, and so many others...some have had smooth sailing all around and others have had to overcome tremendous obstacles and have like Tiffykins. What's remarkable to me is when a person gets through but continues to participate here to support others. So I want to commend you for being sensitive to the issues and complications that may come up for some of us having this WLS, and for having the foresight to seek council prior to and in preparation for any possible outcome. But most of all I want to wish you a very smooth and uneventful surgery and recovery. Please keep us informed as the time draws nearer to your surgery. I don't know where you live but soon it will be spring and I'm so glad. Having surgery in the winter makes it a bit harder to get out of doors. Living on LI, NY, I look forward to longer, warmer days. Thanks again Mary.

I seem to be belaboring the issue I suppose but I am in the process of trial and error, with antidepressant medications. So far I've tried Wellbutrin and Zoloft (both in generic versions). Both meds caused my anxiety to skyrocket and my appetite to plunge. I could hardly even look at food. Now I am on psychiatrist #2 she is starting me on something called Remeron (but generic of course!) It is taken before bedtime and acts as a sedative in a low dose which I will start with. As the dosage increases it's supposed to act as an antidepressant and increase the appetite. I just am wondering if anyone out there has had any experience taking it and can tell me of their experience, pros, cons, side effects etc...or any success with any other antidepressant medication since having the VGS. I'm sort of skeptical about taking this drug because right now I am able to sleep without any sedative and don't want to become dependant upon anything to be able to sleep. As most of you know I am already taking Clonzapam (generic fro Klonopin) for anxiety as needed.

Hello, I just read this and I'm hoping and praying that by now you have seen your doctor if not are feeling better. My heart goes out to you and I'm sorry you are experiencing difficulty. I'm 5 months out and still not used to the way things feel going in and I've been on antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication since having the surgery so the going is sadly not as easy for some of us. Tiff had to really tough it out for a while since she had complications. She is an inspiration because she's kept a positive attitude and was determined to emerge from it all as a success. She has and as a result has made herself available to all of us. There are many people here that care. I hope your problems resolve quickly and that you will stay connected and keep us informed.

How awful. I'm so sorry you are in such pain. Your right to be concerned about having your surgery I sure hope that you heal quickly. Maybe your surgery can be rescheduled?

Prayers for your safety in healing and recovery. God be with you throughout Marie.

Your not alone.This board is helpful because we not only support as best we can one another but we also learn from each other. Keep us informed please.